If you haven’t seen The New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears, it’s a must-watch.  It uncovers some very real, very heartbreaking facts about a woman who has given the world SO MUCH.

Let’s keep the momentum alive.

#FREEBRITNEY

From a fashion perspective, Britney gave the world a lot.  Her outfits from the late ’90s and early ’00s set the trends.  Today I thought I’d unpack these trends to see how much they’ve influenced what we wear today.

Crop Tops

Britney rocked crop tops.  Her closet seemingly had an endless supply.  Some were tube tops, some metallic, some with crazy embellishments.

How does this translate today?

Younger aimed brands like Urban Outfitters and Free People are still heavily relying on this trend.

Even athleticwear has embraced the mid-drift.  I myself have several of these longline bras/crop tops to workout in.

Flare Leg jeans

Britney almost always paired her crop tops with flared jeans.  The proportion makes sense – fitted on top, voluminous on the bottom keeps the eye moving.

While I love a 70s inspired wide leg, I can’t say I’m in love with flare leg jeans.

What about you?  Did you wear them?  Do you still?

Bucket/Floppy/Cowboy Hats

Britney wore a ton of hats (literally and figuratively).  You probably remember her feathered fedoras or hot pink cowboy hats.  The ones I associate most with Britney are bucket hats.  They have absolutely made a comeback in the past couple of years.  Do you own one?

Unpopular fashion opinion – you will never catch me wearing one.

Bug-eyed Sunglasses

Britney wore either Elton John round, colored lenses or huge, bug-eyed frames in the ’90s and early ’00s.  Big sunglasses are still absolutely on trend (and the tiny lenses had their moment in recent seasons!) but have gotten more rectangular.  I for one, love a big pair of dramatic sunnies.

Uggs

Britney’s most infamous outfit was probably Uggs with a denim mini skirt.  You probably wore that exact look in the late 90s but don’t care to admit it.

What she did was set the trend for comfy, Dad shoes, or normcore.  Crocs became a thing soon after and Birkenstocks resurged in popularity (although one could argue they never went away).

Ah, Britney.  You gave us so much.  Here’s to your freedom.

#FREEBRITNEY